Shipping case



Aug. 12, 1952 T. 1.. CAREY ET AL SHIPPING CASE 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed July 5, 1948 INVENTORS TROY L. CAREY ISADORE LUBERSKY BY ATTORNEY Aug. 12, 1952 "r. L. CAREY ET AL SHIPPING CASE 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed July 5, 1948 4 lflifllillllllilllllililflillliliiill q I IIIIIIIIIaIllllllvl ffilillfllllflll INVENTORS L CAREY ISADORE LUBE RSKY ATTORNEY,

Patented Aug. 12, 1952 :SHIPPINGCAS-E Troy L. Carey and Isadore Lubersky, Seattle,

Wash, assignors to Fibreboard Products Inc., San Francisco, Calif., a corporation of Delaware v 1 Ourinvention relates to a'shipping case or carton, and more particularly to a case of this character which is made of fibreboard. f

Because of the difficulty during present times f ta mn W o boxes. and the greaterecom only of fibreboard cases comparedto wood boxes, fibreboard has becomemore and more popular as material for hipping. cases in which 'various types of products can be packed and shipped. The strength factor of 'fibreboard cases is quite important in providing a practical case which will withstand handling" durin shipment or otherwise, and which'will, enable the filled cases to be stacked one upon the other without damage. Our invention has as its objects, among vothers, the provision of an improved'shipping case constructed of fibreboardwhich isstrong. enough'to withstand rough handling to which cases are sometimes subjected in shipping .and to permit the filled cases 'to'be stackedjvertically without damage, which construction is of such character as to obviate" or minimize bulging "atthe sides of the case when it is filled with objects; is formed of suitable individual blanks which may be shipped flat to the place where the case is to be set-up and filled with objects, but which may be readily assembledvand fastened to provide the finished case; "and which is of relatively simple and economical construction. Other. objects of our invention will become apparent from the following description thereof.

' Referring, to the drawin s'which illustrate the preferred embodiment of our invention:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a blankwhich forms the outer shellof our case; .i I"

Fig. 2' is a similar view of'ablank which forms an inner liner adapted to be, telescoped vv'ithin the outer shell; i

Fig. 3 is a similar view of another inner liner blank which is also adapted to be telescoped within the shell and the inner liner of Fig. 2;

, Fig. 4 is a plan view of ablank for providing a cover for the case; r J

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the cover formed by the blank of Fig.4; a portion of the structure being shown broken away to illustrate the construction more clearly; 1 l

- Figs. 6, 6A and 6B are perspective views of the set-up outer shell of the carton and the two setup inner liners, respectively; these three figures being so arranged as to provide an exploded view of the individual elements of the case to illustrate their relative relationship when assembled;

Fig. 7 is a perspective view oi the completely assembled-case with an end wall ofthe outermost;

' Application July s, 1948, Serial No. 36,864

' 2 Claims. (01. 229-23) inner liner detached and bent inwardly to illustrate more clearly the construction;

Fig. 8 is an outside side elevation of one side of the case, to illustrate the manner of securing individual elements thereof Fig; 9 is an outside end elevation illustrating the securing means; i v

Fig. 10 is a horizontal sectional view of the case taken in a plane indicated by line Ill-l 0 in Fig. 8;

Fig. 11 is a longitudinal vertical section taken in a plane indicated by line I ll I in Fig. 10; and

Fig. 12 is a transverse vertical sectiontaken in a plane indicated by the line [2-12 in Fig. 10.

The case of our invention isformed'of fibreboard, preferably solid fibreboard about eighty thousandths of an inch-thick but which may be thicker or thinner as conditionsrequire. It comprises a blank A which is adapted to form a bottomless outer shell when set-up, a blank B adapted to provide an inner liner when set-up and which is adapted to be telescoped within the outer shell, and a blank C which provides an outer inner liner when set-up and which is adapted to be telescoped within the inner liner B within shell A. As can be seen from Fig. 1, the outer shell blank A is provided with parallel wide creases or score lines 2, which are preferably formed by the usual creasing bars, to provide four integrally and hingedly connectedwalls of the case when the blank is folded along such crease or score lines. The creases or score linesin all of the blanks are preferably formed in the same way.

Preferably, the spacing of the creases 2 is such that the case will be substantially oblong in horizontal section, to provide a pair of opposite end Wall forming portions 3 and a second pair of opposite side wall forming portions '4'. Hingedly connected at the end. ofblank A, preferably at the outer end wall forming portion 3, is an integral flap 5 which is adapted to be stitched by stapling 6 to the inside surface of outer side wall forming portion 4 so as toprovidethe set-up outer shell illustrated inFig. 6.

.BlankB,.which forms one inner liner, is divided 3 in the completely assembled carton of substantially two ply thickness.

Integral flaps II are hingedly connected by score or crease lines ID to the ends of bottom wall forming portion 1 and to the ends of side wall forming portions 8 of blank B, which, when such blank is set up as illustrated in Fig. 6A, are adapted to provide-reenforcing flanges along the bottom and the upright corners adjacent'theend walls 3 of the shell. These flaps are preferably mitered at a 45 angle at their adjacent edges l2,

so that they may engage and provide mitered joints when blank B is set up, thus enhancing rigidity. The flaps H are quite important in reenforcing the corners of thecase, solas to.en-.

hance the rigidity and the stacking-strength of the completely assembled case.

Outer inner liner C is also divided by parallel crease lines l3 into a second bottom forming portion Id of substantially-the same size as bottom forming portion lof blank B, and into opposite end wall forming portions l6 hingedly connected to bottom portion l4, and of substantially the same size as and congruent with end wall portions 3 of the shell blank A, so as to overlie such wall portions 3 in the'completelyi'assembled case. Handle forming and also 'reenfo'rcingfiaps II are hingedly connected to the top forming endsof side wall forming portions l6 byparallel crease lines [8. y

From Figs. 6 through 63, which illustrate the various blanks set up, in an imaginary exploded relationship to illustrate how they are assembled, it will be noted that set-up inner liner blank B is adapted to be first telescoped within set-up shell A to provide one ply of thebottom wall for the carton, and two ,opposi'tje side walls 4, 8 of two ply thickness, with reenforcing flanges ll adjacent the opposite "shell end 'walls'3. Set-up blank C which provides the outer inner liner is adapted to be inserted in blank B; and when so inserted, a bottom wall vI, I4 of two ply thickness is provided and opposite end walls'3, it of two ply thickness are also. provided.

Thus, substantially'the entire wall area of the case will be of at least two ply thickness throughout with at least a three ply at the corners to provide additional reenforcement; and as can be noted from Fig. 7, each end wall forming portion I6 of'the outer liner C covers the adjacent reenforcing fiaps'l lfto protect them and clamp them betweenowall portions .3 and I6. In the completely assembled carton, each handle forming flap I! of set-up blank C overlies the adjacent end wall 3, 16 of the case, and is secured at spaced points'so. as to. provide handle portions whereby thecarton may be lifted readily. Also, such flaps I! provide additionalreenforcement at the upper. ends of the end walls.

Although it is preferred to telescope set-up blank B first within set-up'shell A, the sizes of blanks B and C may beso arranged to enable blank C to be telescoped'flrst within shell A, and then set-up blank B telescoped within set-up blank C. However, such arrangement would not be as desirable as the preferred construction because the important reenforcing flaps H would not be protected and clamped between the plies of the end walls of the completely assembled case. The handle forming flaps I! could be formed on blank B instead of blank C but this is not as desirable because the latter construction enhances the strength of the case by providing additional reenforcement along the top ends of thereenr in flaps Ll.

Additional blanks could be formed for telescoping within shell A in addition to set-up blanks B and C. However, we have found that with the described preferred wall construction of at least two ply thickness throughout, the case is sufficiently strong to withstand handling to which cases are subject in shipping and in storage. In this-connectiom'we prefer that the respective blanks 'A, B and 'C be so cut from the parent sheet of material, as to cause the grain ,of: the fibre in each pair of adjacent blanks in .the set-up case to run crosswise with respect to 'each other to provide an additional strength factor.

The means. for securing the individual parts together preferably comprises stitching, in the form of staples, In setting up the carton blanks, the walls of shell A are first secured by the previously mentioned staples 6 as indicated in Fig. 6. This stapling may be performed at the factory and the shell blankv may be shipped folded along diagonally opposite corners, or the stapling can be done at the place where the entire case is setup and packed. At, the latter. location, set-up blank B is inserted'inthe'set-up shell blank A and set-lip. blank Cis'then inserted in set-up blank B.,' The...ent ire assembly is then secured together at its ends by staples 22 which pass through -end wall plies3, l6 and-through the adjacentv reenforcing flanges ll between such plies to Secure'rigidly the end forming parts of the case. In'this connection, the two spaced upper staples 22 also pass through handle flaps H and provide the securing means for such flaps at spacedpoints. thus allowing a, hand to be inserted'under each flap for ready grasping when the filled case is to be lifted.

Side Wall forming plies '4, 8 of the case are fixedly secured together by'staples 23. In this connection, it. will be noted that the left hand vertical line of staples 23 appearing in Figs. 7 and 8,.al's'oextend through secu'ringfiap 5 of shell formin b ankA.

From the preceding, it is'seen that the stitching or stapling can be readily accomplished at the place, where the carton is set up and filled, as is quite customaryfwith shipping cases of the fibreboard type. At thesame time, the described construction; enables the case parts to be economically'shipped flat. When the case is assembled and the parts securely fastened in the manner described, the reenforcing flanges II which are fully'protected provide the desirable reenfcrcementflatfthe vital corner zones of the case, to provide rigidityand prevent the case walls from. being easily deflected; Although our case can be employed for the packing .and shipping of any suitable class of objects, we have found it to be particularly successful for apples.

F gs. 4 and 5 illustrate our preferred cover construction for the case in which a blank D is, scored or creased by longitudinally extending crease lines 26-and also by transverselyextending crease lines 21, to provide side forming flaps 28 and end forming flaps 29. Slots 3| are prov-ided as continuations of transverse crease lines 21'to enable-the ends of flaps 29 to be folded over and be secured to flaps 28 by means ofstitching in the form of staples 32 as is indicated in Fig. 5. Preferably, thefiaps are the same width as handleforming flaps l1.

We claim:

1. A fibreboard open-top shipping case adapted tobe covered comprising a bottomless outer shell having: two pairs ot-opposite wallsi at least two fibreboardliners' teles'coped within said shell, an

inner liner having a bottom and opposite walls hingedly connected to said bottom, each of said opposite walls of said inner liner being substantially congruent with and overlying a wall of one pair of said shell walls and being substantially the same height as said shell wall which it overlies, and an outer liner having a bottom and opposite walls hingedly connected to said bottom, each of said opposite walls of said outer liner being substantially congruent with and overlying a wall of a second pair of said shell walls and being substantially the same height as said shell wall which it overlies, whereby the case has at being substantially congruent with and overlying a wall of a second pair of said shell walls and being substantially the same height as said shell wall which it overlies, whereby the case has at least a two-ply thickness throughout; integral flaps hingedly connected to the ends of the bottom and the ends of the walls of the inner liner I providing reenforcing flanges along the bottom least a two-ply thickness throughout; integral flaps hingedly connected to the ends of the bottom and the ends of the walls of the inner liner providing reenforcing flanges along the bottom and the upright corners overlying each wall of said second pair of shell walls, each reenforcing flap that extends from an end of a wall of said inner liner bein substantially the length of such end whereby the flap is substantially the same height assaid shell, each of said reeniorcing flaps being clamped between a wall of said second pair of shell walls and a wall of said outer liner; and securing means passing through each wall of said second pair of shell walls, the clamped adjacent flaps and the overlying wall of the outer liner for rigidly securing such parts together.

2. A fibreboard open-top shipping case adapted to be covered comprising a bottomless outer shell having two pairs of opposite walls; at least two fibreboard liners telescoped within said shell, an inner liner having a bottom and opposite walls hingedly connected to said bottom, each of said opposite walls of said inner liner bein substantially congruent with and overlying a wall of one pair of said shell walls and being substantially the same height as said shell wall which it overlies, and an outer liner having a bottom and opposite walls hingedly connected to said bottom, each of said opposite walls of said outer liner and the upright corners overlying each wall of said second pair of shell walls, each reenforcing flap that extends from an end of a wall of said inner liner being substantially the length of such end whereby the flap is substantially the same height as said shell, each of said reenforcing flaps being clamped between a wall of said second pair of shell walls and a wall of said outer liner; securing means passing through each wall of said second pair of shell walls, the clamped adjacent flaps and the overlying wall of the outer liner for rigidly securing such parts together; a handle forming and reenforcing flap hingedly connected to the top of each well of the out-er liner and overlying the outer surface of the adjacent one of said second pair of shell walls; and securing means passing through each of said handle forming and reenforcing flaps, the shell wall adjacent thereto and through the wall of the outer liner to which the flap is hinged.

TROY L. CAREY. ISADORE LUBERSKY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 619,810 Upham Feb. 21, 1899 674,009 Lewis May 1 1, 1901 1,448,603 Smith Mar. 13, 1923 1,673,535 Sheehy June 12, 1928 2,131,349 Kreider, Jr. Sept. 2'7, 1938 2,246,097 Illges June 1'7, 1941 

